PTFE, polytetrafluoroethylene, is a synthetic fluoropolymer built entirely of carbon and fluorine atoms, giving it exceptional chemical inertness, heat resistance and one of the lowest coefficients of friction of any solid. Roy J. Plunkett discovered it by accident in 1938 at DuPont's Chambers Works plant in New Jersey while trying to develop a new refrigerant, and it was later marketed under the Teflon brand. Its hydrophobic, non-stick surface carries it into non-stick cookware coatings, wire insulation for aerospace and computing, bearing seals and lubricants, chemically inert linings for corrosive-chemical pipes and containers, and medical device coatings and vascular grafts. This description is adapted from Wikipedia contributors under CC BY-SA 4.0; changes were made. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/
Facts
Primary UseSourced to the subject's own accountNon-stick cookware coatings; wire and cable insulation for aerospace and computing; bearing seals; chemically inert linings for corrosive-chemical pipes and containers; medical device coatings and grafts. 1 Origin YearSourced to the subject's own account Classification
Material ClassSourced to the subject's own account Connections
Associated With
Source Polytetrafluoroethylene (Wikipedia)
PTFE is a fluoropolymer plastic
Sintering, Methods PTFE does not melt like an ordinary thermoplastic, so parts are formed by sintering rather than injection molding.
Teflon, Inventions Teflon is DuPont's brand name for PTFE; the two entities record the same substance under its material and its branded-invention identity.
In Field
Sources
1. Polytetrafluoroethylene (Wikipedia)
WikipediaProperties section
PTFE is hydrophobic: neither water nor water-containing substances wet PTFE, as fluorocarbons exhibit only small London dispersion forces due to the low electric polarizability of fluorine.
material-class sentence
PTFE, polytetrafluoroethylene, is a synthetic fluoropolymer built entirely of carbon and fluorine atoms, giving it exceptional chemical inertness, heat resistance and one of the lowest coefficients of friction of any solid.
Associated With: Electrical Engineering, Applications and uses, Wire insulation, electronics section
The most common use of PTFE, consuming about 50% of production, is for the insulation of wiring in aerospace and computer applications (e.g. hookup wire, coaxial cables).
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